Forgiveness
by DharmaMotorPool
Summary: What if Juliet had been the one to talk to Ben outside the church? Short little one-shot as an alternative to Ben's redemption scene. Some Suliet, as well.


"C'mon, Blondie, how much longer you gonna make me wait for you?" James asked with a soft chuckle, though he was completely serious.

"James, there will be plenty of time for intimacy later. _Trust_ me." she told him, a playful half-smirk on her lips.

"I'm gonna hold you to that." he said, smiling and pulling her in for a kiss. He'd spent too many years without her already, and he could hardly wait to get to their forever after. Funny how a man who'd spent half a lifetime refusing to believe in the existence of soul mates and destiny was standing here now, kissing his other half and believing in fairy tale endings. He'd never been so glad to be wrong.

They continued their walk to the church, hand in hand, basking in a comfortable silence. Words weren't necessary; they both knew how they felt, and words couldn't quite do justice to their love, anyhow.

Ten minutes later, they were there. "Ready?" he asked her, to which she nodded and replied, "Absolutely." They walked towards the entrance, eager to see everyone again now that their memories were intact, when a voice stopped them both in their tracks.

"James…Juliet."

She froze for a moment, and then turned towards the picnic table where the owner of the voice was sitting. "Ben," she said softly, giving James' hand a light squeeze. She felt him tense up, and knew if she didn't calm him, he was bound to lose his temper. "Are you going in?" she asked him.

Ben shook his head, "No, I don't think that I am," he replied, "You?"

She nodded, "Yes. We…we are." she told him, turning back to James, "Why don't you go on inside? I'll be right there." she said softly. James gave her a look, and she could almost hear him say, '_You crazy? I ain't lettin' you stay out here alone with ole bug-eyes. No way, no how'. _She kissed him softly, "James. Please. I just need a minute." she assured him.

It took a few moments, but he relented. "Alright. Don't keep me waitin' _too_ long, Blondie." he requested with a soft smile, kissing her again as if to tell Ben, 'No, she ain't yours. She's _mine_'.

"I won't," she promised. Once James had entered the church, she turned her attention back to Ben. "There's something I need to say to you. I-"

"I'm very sorry for what I did to you, Juliet. I was selfish. I never should have-"

"I forgive you." she said, interrupting his attempted apology.

Ben sat there, dumbfounded by her words. "You…what?" he asked, just to make certain he hadn't mistaken 'forgive' for 'hate' or 'loathe' or 'detest'.

"I know that I should hate you. I did, in fact. I _hated_ you. I wished you harm, I betrayed you more than once without remorse, and when you had that tumor on your back, I tried to convince Jack to let you die. I thought that your keeping me on the island was the worst thing in the world. You kept me from knowing my sister and the nephew I helped create. You manipulated me, lied to me, sent my lover into a death trap…and, though indirectly, led me to the greatest love I have ever known." Ben stared at her quizzically when she finished her speech. He wasn't quite sure how to respond, so for once, he remained silent and let her continue. "Because of you, I met James. Because you moved the island, we ended up getting the chance to fall in love. If you hadn't kept me there, if things hadn't happened the way they did, we'd never have had that chance. So I'm done hating you. I know that you're sorry and I know that you aren't the same man that you were anymore. And quite frankly, all of the things you did…they don't _matter_ now. It's time for us to let go. _All_ of us." she said, approaching him and resting a hand on his shoulder.

He placed his own hand on top of hers and closed his eyes, tears welling in them. "Thank you, Juliet," he managed to say, swallowing the tears (and his pride), and looking back up at her, "That means more to me than I could ever say."

"I know," she said with a soft smile, giving his shoulder a soft squeeze before retracting her hand, "Maybe I'll see you there, someday."

"I hope so," he replied, returning her smile. "So, you and the con man, huh?"

She chuckled, "Me and the con man." she confirmed.

"Be happy, Juliet."

"Same to you, Ben." And with that, she entered the church to join her soul mate and their friends. Ben watched her in awe, knowing he very well may never see her, James, Hugo, or anyone else again…but…maybe, just _maybe_, he would.

THE END.


End file.
